Method of and apparatus for making tablet packages



Ap 7, 1964 J. L. ARCUDI ETAL 3,127,718

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING TABLET PACKAGES Filed 001;. 5, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TORJ Jpsep Lflraw Edward] Dal/Z41 BY ATTORNEY April 7, 1964 J. ARCUDI ETAL 3,127,718

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING TABLET PACKAGES Filed Oct. 3. 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TORJ.

R BY w k fi April 7, 1964 J. 1.. ARCUDI ETAL METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING TABLET PACKAGES Filed Oct. 5. 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVEN'TORSF c244! Jolie 7% Z, 197' Zlwazrdf ZkI Z/ United States Patent 3,127,718 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING TABELET PACKAGES Joseph L. Arcudi, Elizabeth, and Edward J. David, Point Pleasant, N.J., assignors to Ivers-Lee Company, Newark, N.J., a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 3, 1961, Ser. No. 142,547 Claims. (Cl. 5328) This invention relates in general to the art of packaging, and particularly, the invention is concerned with the packaging of small articles in the nature of pills, suppositories, tablets or the like.

According to the generaly known methods of making packages of this character, opposed layers of relatively thin packaging material such as aluminum foil are sealed together in certain zones which form the boundaries of a compartment or chamber between the layers in which fluent material for the formation of the pills, suppositories, tablets or the like is inserted, after which the compartment is completely sealed.

One object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for making packages wherein the articles such as tablets to be packaged can be prepared in sections, for example, halves, and the complementary sections packaged together in the same compartment, whereby it is possible to package, for example, a tablet, the two sections or halves of which are formed of different chemical compositions which, after the package has been opened, can be utilized at the same time.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for making a package of the character described wherein the package is initially formed in sections, each having a portion of the compartment complemental to the compartment of another section, and half of the article such as a tablet or a suppository is deposited in each of said compartment sections, an adesive is applied to at least one of said halves and the two compartment sections are sealed together with the two halves of the article between them to form a complete package in a relatively inexpensive and effective manner.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus of this character which shall include a novel and improved construction and combination of mechanism for forming the package sections, means for depositing the sections of the articles into the package sections, means for applying an adhesive to at least one of said article sections, and means for sealing the package sections together with the two halves of the article adhesively connected together, whereby a package can be produced efficiently and at low cost.

Other objects, advantages and results of the invention will be brought out by the following description in conjunction With the accompanying drawings in which FIGURE 1 is a schematic front elevation of an apparatus or machine for making packages in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the machine;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevation with portions broken away and shown in section;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary composite end elevation and a vertical sectional View of the adhesive applying mechanism;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view approximately on the plane of the line 5-5 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view through the sealing rollers and the two strips of packaging material, showing the manner of sealing the strips together with the articles enclosed in the package compartments;

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of a complete pack- 3,127,718 Patented Apr. 7, 1964 age made in accordance with the method. and by the apparatus of the invention.

Specifically describing the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the reference character A designates the frame or table of an apparatus or machine which has thereon support brackets B on which rolls C of strips of ductile packaging material, for example, aluminum, are journaled for rotation about spindles D so that the strips 1 and 2 of the packaging material can be simultaneously withdrawn from their respective rolls, each through die mechanism E which form the recesses for the packaging compartments, and thence between identical. sealing rolls F, where the strips 1 and 2 are sealed together to partially form the packages preparatory to the filling and final sealing or closing of the packages. The abutting surfaces of the strips are thermoplastic or coated with thermoplastic material.

The die mechanisms may be of any suitable construction, but each is shown as comprising a bed die I fixedly mounted on the frame A, and a head die K that is reciprocal toward and from the bed die by a suitable power unit such as a reciprocating pneumatic motor L on the piston rod M of which the head die is mounted. In the present instance, the bed die I has at least one recess 4 with which cooperates a boss 5 on the head die (see FIGURE 3). Obviously, as each head die is moved into contact with the bed die with the strip of packaging material between them under tension and in contact with the head die as shown in FIGURE 1, recesses 6 are simultaneously formed in the two strips 1. and 2, the tension of the strips serving to withdraw the strips from the bed dies. Each recess in strip 1 is complemental to a recess of the other strip to form a complete package compartment when the strips are brought into contact with each other with the concave side of the recess of one strip facing the concave side of the recess of the other strip, and obviously, the recesses may be of any shape that will produce a package of the desired configuration.

The two strips 1 and 2 are withdrawn from the rolls C with an intermittent or step-by-step motion in timed relation to the reciprocation of the head dies. The pulling of the strips from the rolls is shown as elfected by the sealing rolls F each of which has a shaft G journalled in bearings 8 and 9 on a superstructure N of the frame A, springs 8a and 9a being provided to cause the rolls to yieldingly grip the strips between them. Each roll has a plurality of cavities 10 in its periphery to receive the protuberances on the corresponding strip 1 or 2 produced by the formation of the recesses in the strips, the spacing of the cavities, of course, corresponding to the spacing of the recesses 6.

On each of the shaft G is fixed a ratchet disc 11 with which cooperates one end of a pawl 12 which is pivotally mounted at its other end as indicated at 13 on an actuating slide 14. The slide is shown as having a slot 15 through which extends a guide block 16 that is fixedly mounted on a frame superstructure N, and the slide is shown as reciprocated by a connecting rod 17 which is pivotally connected at one end at 13 to the slide and is connected at its other end to a crank pin 19 of the take-01f shaft 20 of a speed reducing gear mechanism 21, the in-put shaft of which has a belt and. pulley connection 22 with an electric motor 23. The paWls 12 are normally biased into engagement with the corresponding ratchet disc by a compression spring 24 interposed between the two pawls, and with this construction, it will be understood that upon starting of the motor 23, for example, by a manually controlled switch, the slide 14 will be reciprocated and the sealing rolls will be rotated in opposite directions step-by-step by coaction of the pawls 12 and ratchet discs, and thereby the strips 1 and 2 of packaging material will be moved step-by-step between the sealing rolls. Each recess is formed to hold a portion, for example, one-half, of the quantity of material to be enclosed in each package compartment, and, as hereinafter described, the material is deposited in the recesses before the strips of packaging material are passed between the sealing rolls and sealed together in zones surrounding the compartments formed by the juxtaposed recesses of the two strips to complete the packages H. Each sealing roll has a circumferential sealing area 25 bounding the recesses for effecting the sealing operation. Thus each completed package comprises two sections 1a and 2a of the respective strips 1 and 2, sealed together in zones which are preferably crimped, bounding a compartment I that contains the article that is being packaged.

In accordance with the invention, the articles such as tablets to be packaged are initially formed of two complemental sections which preferably are of the same size and shape and each of which preferably has a flat or planar side to abut the corresponding side of another section; and one section is deposited in each of the recesses 6 of the strips of packaging material. For the purposes of illustration, the articles to be packaged are shown as comprising two hemispherical sections X which correspond in shape and size to the recesses 6 and one column of the sections is disposed above each of the strips of packaging material between the die mechanism and the sealing rollers, for example in vertical chutes O that are supported on the main frame of the machine by brackets 26, the sections being arranged with their convex surfaces facing downwardly whereby the article sections may drop by gravity toward the strips 1 and 2. Any suitable means may be provided for controlling the release of the sections from the chutes in timed relation to the positioning of one of the recesses 6 beneath the chutes, and for this purpose, there has been shown a slide detent 27 at the lower end of each chute which include a finger 28 normally underlying the lowermost section, and another finger 29 to enter between the lowermost section and the next upper section when the finger 28 is pulled from beneath the lowermost section to permit the latter to drop into a recess. A suitable fingerpiece 39 is provided for manipulating the detent. Obviously, the article sections could be dropped into the recesses manually or suitable automatic feed means could be provided. With this construction, it will be observed that the strips 1 and 2 will be moved step-by-step to bring one of the recesses 6 beneath each of the columns of article sections upon each step of movement, and the lowermost article section will be released into the recess as best shown in FIGURE 3. Upon continued movement of the strips 1 and 2 by the sealing rolls, the article sections in the recesses are moved to an adhesive applying mechanism P Where a suitable adhesive is applied to the exposed upwardly facing flat surfaces X of the article sections.

While different types of mechanism may be utilized for the purpose of illustration, there has been shown a fountain or tank 31 above each sealing roll F to contain a suitable adhesive that is compatible with the compositions or the use of the articles. For example, if the articles consist of pharmaceutical compounds, the adhesive 32 ordinarily will be inert to the compound and harmless to the individual who may use the article or tablet. At the bottom of each fountain tank 31 is a discharge opening 33 through which projects an applying roller 34 which is journaled in the side walls of the tank so as to be engaged by the strip 1 or 2 as the latter passes over the corresponding sealing roll. A doctor blade 35 is mounted on the bottom wall of the tank and engages the peripheral surface of the roller to remove the excess adhesive from the peripheral wall and prevent it from being applied to the surface of the corresponding strip of packaging material 1 or 2. For applying the adhesive to the article sections, the applying rollers have recesses 36 in their peripheries corresponding in shape to the recesses 6 to pick up from the tank a quantity of the adhesive and dispose it on the exposed surface of the article section as best shown in FIGURE 4. The diameter of the rollers 34 and the spacing of the recesses 36 will e such that one of the recesses 36 will register with each of the recesses 6. While the rollers 34 may be rotated by frictional contact with the strips 1 and 2, it may be desirable to operate these rollers by power which could be done by a suitable driving connection between the output shaft 2% of the speed-reducing gear and the rollers. In this way, the timed relation between the rollers 34 and the sealing rolls F may be more positively insured. The fountain tanks 31 may be mounted in any suitable way but are shown as supported by brackets 37 on the frame of the machine.

After the adhesive has been applied, the continued movement of the strips 1 and 2 by the sealing rolls carries the recesses with the two article sections in each thereof around the sealing rollers as best shown in FIG- URE 6 so that one recess of each strip becomes juxtaposed to a recess of the other strip and the strips are sealed together to provide the sealed zones 3 in bounding relation to the completed compartments I and at the same time the two article sections in each compartment are adhesively secured together so that they may be removed as a unitary article Q from the package compartment upon tearing of the packaging material.

The invention may be used for packaging many different types of materials. The material of which the article sections are formed may be of the nature of material used in the making of suppositories, such material initially being in a semi-liquid state, then becoming hardened, and later during use, returning to the liquid state. The invention provides a simple and relatively inexpensive method of packaging such material in addition to packaging, for example, tablets, formed of two different chemical or pharmaceutical compounds.

It will be seen that in most instances some of the adhesive will enter the crevice between the article half and the rim of the corresponding recess so that the ad hesive will have the effect of holding the article half against falling out the recess.

Depending upon the nature of the packaging material, and the material of the articles being packaged, the rolls F may or may not be heated as desired. Generally the packaging material will have a thermoplastic coating or itself be thermoplastic for sealing the strips of packaging material together. For the purpose of illustration, heaters R have been shown in the shafts G.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the construction of the machine has been shown only schematically and that the structural details may be widely modified and changed within the spirit of the invention.

We claim:

1. The method of making article-containing packages consisting of forming two separate self-sustaining halves of the article to be packaged, each of said halves including a flat surface to abut the corresponding surface on the other half, forming identical recesses in two strips of ductile material, said recesses being shaped to correspond to the contour of the other portions of the article halves, placing in each recess one pre-formed half of the article, applying adhesive to said flat surfaces of said halves, bringing said strips and said halves into contact with each other with one recess of one strip and the article half therein facing a recess and the other half of the article in the other strip and sealing the strips together in a zone in surrounding relation to said recesses, thereby forming a package having a compartment in which said article is enclosed.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the strips of ductile material are moved linearly in a horizontal plane with said recesses facing upwardly and with the steps of dropping an article half by gravitational action in each recess, applying adhesive to the surface of at least one article half that is exposed, bringing the strips into contact with each other with the recesses of each strip and the article half therein facing the recess and the article half of the other strip, exerting pressure on the strips and forcing the article halves into adhesive contact with each other and sealing the strips together in a zone surrounding said recesses, whereby the article halves can be removed from the compartment as a unitary article.

3. Apparatus for making article-containing packages comprising a frame, means for forming identical recesses in each of two horizontal flexible thin strips of ductile material in spaced relation longitudinally of the strips, each of a shape and size to receive a pre-formed one-half of the article to be pacakged, a pair of sealing rolls horizontally journalled in said frame rotatable step-by-step in opposite directions receiving said strips between them with one recess of each strip facing the recess of the other strip, each sealing roll having circumferentially spaced cavities for the protuberances formed by said recesses in the strips, means for yieldingly biasing the rolls toward each other to press and move the strips between them, and means for depositing one-half of the article in each of said recesses between the first-mentioned means and said rolls, means for applying adhesive to a portion of at least one of said article halves that is disposed in the corresponding recess, said rolls having circumferentially sealing areas surrounding said cavities to seal said flexible thin strips together in zones surrounding said recesses in the strips, means providing for adhesive connection of the two article halves into a unitary article as the strips are sealed together between said rolls, thereby forming a package compartment which contains the two complementary halves of an article.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said means for depositing an article half in each recess comprises a vertical chute mounted on said frame above the corresponding flexible strip for supporting a column of article halves, and means for releasing said article halves from said column singly and in timed relation to the movement by said flexible strips of the recesses beneath the chutes.

5. Apparatus for making article-containing packages comprising a frame, means on said frame for forming identical recesses in equi-distantly spaced apart relation in each of two flexible thin strips of ductile material, each recess of a size and shape to receive a pre-formed half of an article to be packaged, means for moving said strips longitudinally in a horizontal plane relative to the firstnamed means with said recesses facing upwardly and for moving and sealing said strips in contact with each other with one recess of each strip facing a recess of the other strip to form compartments for the material being packaged, means for gravitationally dropping one-half of each article to be packaged in corresponding recesses of each of said ductile strips, means for applying adhesive to the exposed portion of said article halves prior to the movement of said strips into opposed contact with each other and the sealing of the strips and the article halves together, thereby providing package compartments each of which contains two halves of one of said articles adhesively secured together to form a unitary article.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,497,212 Donofrio Feb. 14, 1950 2,660,843 Rety et al Dec. 1, 1953 2,663,129 Donofrio Dec. 22, 1953 

1. THE METHOD OF MAKING ARTICLE-CONTAINING PACKAGES CONSISTING OF FORMING TWO SEPARATE SELF-SUSTAINING HALVES OF THE ARTICLE TO BE PACKAGED, EACH OF SAID HALVES INCLUDING A FLAT SURFACE TO ABUT THE CORRESPONDING SURFACE ON THE OTHER HALF, FORMING IDENTICAL RECESSES IN TWO STRIPS OF DUCTILE MATERIAL, SAID RECESSES BEING SHAPED TO CORRESPOND TO THE CONTOUR OF THE OTHER PORTIONS OF THE ARTICLE HALVES, PLACING IN EACH RECESS ONE PRE-FORMED HALF OF THE ARTICLE, APPLYING ADHESIVE TO SAID FLAT SURFACES OF SAID HALVES, BRINGING SAID STRIPS AND SAID HALVES INTO CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER WITH ONE RECESS OF ONE STRIP AND THE ARTICLE HALF THEREIN FACING A RECESS AND THE OTHER HALF OF THE ARTICLE IN THE OTHER STRIP AND SEALING THE STRIPS TOGETHER IN A ZONE IN SURROUNDING RELATION TO SAID RECESSES, THEREBY FORMING A PACKAGE HAVING A COMPARTMENT IN WHICH SAID ARTICLE IS ENCLOSED. 